PETITION FOR CHEAP POSTAGE.
To the Senate and House OF Representatives of the United States, in Congress assembled:
The undersigned, citizens ofStonington, in the State of Connecticut,respectfully petition Congress to pass a law, establishing
1. A uniform rate of Two Cents postage on letters weighing half an ounce, and two cents for every additional half ounce prepaid, and double that rate if not prepaid. Drop letters one cent,
2. Newspapers, periodicals, and all printed matter, one cent per sheet; but newspapers of the smaller size half a cent., to be prepaid, except newspapers and periodicals sent from the office of publication.
3. To reduce the postage on letters and newspapers by mail packets and steamers, to a rate which will bring it within the means of every class of citizens to maintain frequent intercourse with their friends in other countries, without feeling the postage to be a burdensome tax.
4. To adopt measures that in all large towns and cities there shall be a free delivery of letters and newspapers, and also for the reception and conveyance of letters to the post-office for the mails free of any expense.
5. To abolish the franking privilege entirely, that postage may be paid on every thing sent by the mails. Postage of members of Congress to be paid as their other expenses, and postmasters to be remunerated for the loss of the franking privilege and the temporary diminution of their income, by an increase of their commissions.
NAMES. PLACE OF RESIDENCE.
G. Trumbull. George E Palmer M. D.
Stiles Stanton Benjn F Palmer
Chas P. Williams W H Woodbride
Peleg Hancox O B Grant
Simon Carew D. S. Rodman
Ephm Williams Jr Wm W. Rodman
John A Trumbull Geo. Hubbard
C. Theodore Pierce
Jas L Lewis S. S. Carew
J. H. Pendleton S. T. H. Palmer.
Wm Whiteley Jr. William Hyde Jr
J. M. Willey John Collins
H. N. Trumbull B. F. Phelps
F. A. Palmer Benjamin F. States
F. Williams Orrin Doty
F. Arny Azariah Stanton
E. Faxon Jr. [?] W Shamson
Jos T. Stevens [Thomas?] Davison
Amos Palmer [Wm?] J H Pollard
John [Bottum?] Francis Pendleton
Nathan Wilcox Charles Stanton
Wm Pendleton D B Potter
Nathan G Smith Wm. A. Stanton
Benjamin F Charles David S. Hart
Fredk Pendleton William Clift
Moses Pendleton J. Hammond Trumbull
Isaac Pendleton O. York
Henry R Gardiner H L Niles
Zebulon Hancox Samuel Bottum
Peleg Hancox Jr Oliver D Chesebro
Enoch S Chesebrough Oliver Burdick
Hiram Shaw John [Reed?]
L N Latham S. F. Denison
Chas M. Niles John W Hull
Luther Ripley Caleb P. Saunders
Cortlandt S Chesebro Erastus W. Hewitt
B Pomeroy Lathrop W Hull
Thos S Hindley Nelson H. Wheeler
F. D. Chesbro Wm Higgins
Lorenzo Wood N. M Sanders
A G [Beebe?] A Brown
James Clapperton T R Noyes
E. D. Griswold John G. Morse
R B Eldred Chas C. Hancox
Atwod R Brayton Ezra D. Chesebro’
Jesse [Beebe?] Wm A [Marvon?]
John Denison E. D Stanton
Sidney Smith S. B. Butter
Albert G Palmer Benj. Pendleton
Fredk S Mercer Thos Edward
Thomas Palmer 2d Silas Palpin
B F Langworthy John A States
John C Hayes
J B Pendleton Wm. H. Crondal
John D Noyes Richard R [Bareham?]
Jesse D Noyes Wm Patten
Saml Chesebro Lynch Tinker Jr
Ichabod Dickinson Amos B Lonison
Erastus Wentworth William King
Charles Burrows L. C. Williams
Joel. L. Prouty. Charles P Noyes
[Albegence?] Hyde [Nelson Carpenter?]
J A Brown G Wm Williams
R [C?] Denison William M Loud
Willis H. Tracy A A Palmer
Thos M Brown John S Hinckley
S. L. Weld Henry M Tinker
Geo Hubbard Jr Chas Mallory
Wm P. Arny

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Connecticut
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Petition of Gurdon Trumbull and one hundred and twenty seven ^other^ citisens of the town of Stonington in the State of Connecticut praying for a uniform rate and reduction of postage and the abolition of the franking privilege.
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January 5, 1849 Referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads.
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P. O. & P. Road
J. A. Rockwell

Partially Printed Document Signed, 2 page(s), RG 233, Entry 367: Records of the U.S. House of Representatives, Thirtieth Congress, 1847-1849, Records of Legislative Proceedings, Petitions and Memorials, Resolutions of State Legislatures, and Related Documents Which Were Referred to Committees, 1847-1849, NAB